Folding chair



(Nd Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. L. PRALL & A. WILLIAMS.

FOLDING CHAIR.

Patented Dec. 22

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. L. PRALL & A. WILLIAMS.

FOLDING CHAIR. No. 332,749. Patented Dec. 22, 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EFFIE L. PRALL AND ARVILLA WILLIAMS, OF WELLINGTON, KANSAS.

FOLDING CHAIR.

SPEIPICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,749, dated December 22, 1885.

Application filed May 7, 1885. Serial No. 164,647. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatwe, EFFIE LA DORA PRALL and ARVILLA WILLIAMs, citizens of the United States, residing at V/ellington, in the county of Sumner and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Folding and Self-Adjusting Chairs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to chairs, and has for its object the provision of a folding chair to be secured by straps or cords to the belt or waistband of the user, and to be readily, conveniently,and automatically opened and closed by the user when she (the chair being especially adapted for ladies) desires to transfer her weight, or a portion of it, from her feet to the chair or from the chair to her feet, by rising to her full stature.

The invention is especially designed for use by saleswomen in stores, &c., the nature and demands of whose occupation require them to remain in an upright position, with their weight constantly on their feet.

The object of the present invention is to provide a seat which shall not only be simple in construction and durable in use and light, but also compact in construction, portable, and easily operated.

' Our invention is intended to be attached by straps or cords to a waistband or belt under the outer skirt or dress, in which position it will be hidden from view at all times, and easily and readily opened and closed by the user thereof as desired.

To the accomplishment of the above our invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of our improved chair open for use. Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the chair closed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of one of the supporting-legs. Fig. 5is asectional view on the line at m of Fig. 4.. Fig. 6 is a detail View in perspective of a part of one of the chair supporting and limiting braces. Fig. 7 is a detail elevation of the sup porting-braces, showing the manner of hinging said braces together. Fig. 8 is a top plan View of the Similar letters of reference denote similar parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a folding chair consisting of legs B O, hinged together and to a seat, D, as hereinafter described. \Ve preferably form the legs 0 of a single piece of material, bent or turned at points a 0, whereby the seat-supporting portion 0' and parallel legs 0 c are formed. If desired, the legs 0 a" may be in separate pieces, and joined together at their tops by a curved bar, of metal or wood,corresponding to the portion 0. The legs B are pivoted or hinged at b to the legs 0, either by short pivotal bolts equal in length to the combined diameter of the legs B O or by a bolt or rod,E, that extends across from side to side of the chair, as shown. \Ve preferably employ the latter-described form, whereby greater strength and stability is imparted to the chair, and the legs are prevented from spreading. The legs B O, at each side of the chair,are connected together above and below the pivotal points 12 by braces F, hinged together atf, and to the legs B and G at the points f f respectively. Each of the braces F consists of two parts, f f hinged together at f, one of said parts, f, being prolonged beyond the pivotal point f, as shown at f and provided upon the lower side thereof with a projection, y, that takes under the lower edge of the part f when the brace is open.

If desired, each of the parts f f of the brace F may have the prolongation f and stop f, the ends of the parts f f being hinged to the legs B O in the following manner, viz: The outer ends of the parts f are hinged by headed bolts or pins f to the outer surface of the legs 0, near the top thereof, the outer ends of the parts f being pivoted by the pins f to the legs B within grooves formed in said legs. We preferably employ this described construction, since in doing so the chair is permitted to more readily fold together. If desired, however, the grooves may be dispensed with and the forward end of the part j'" hingedrto the inner surface of theleg. The seat D is, at its rear edge,hinged at d to the portion of the legs 0, and is curved to fit said portion a. The length of the seat is nearly equal to the distance between the legs B B, and when it is turned down its side edges bear against the forward edge of the legs 0, as shown in Fig. 3. The seat D is raised into a horizontal position by means of cords G G,operating at each side of the chair. Said cord is shown attached to one side of the chair only, but it should be understood that a second cord is'attached to the reverse side in a similar manner.

5 the lower forward edge of the seat D, (see Figs. 4. and 5,) and thence extending over a pulley, g, mounted upon a pin, 9, in a slot, 9 formed in the head of the leg B, thence to and about a pulley, 9 mounted in a frame, g, secured to said leg B, near the bottom thereof, and thence to the leg 0, to which it is secured near the bottom thereof. If desired, the pulley 9 may be placed in a slot formed in the leg B, in lieu of the frame g. Each. of the legs B is provided upon its inner surface, near the top thereof, with a groove or recess, h, in which is mounted, by a pivotal pin, h, a short bell-crank lever H, the arms h h of which form an acute angle, as. shown.

Fig. 5 shows by full lines said lever H, as it appears when in position to support the raised seat D, and by dotted lines its position when the seat is folded upon its supporting-legs.

In the latter position it will be seen that the long arm h normally rests within the groove or recess h, while the short arm h projects into the track of the seat D when it is being 0 raised, and will, consequently, be struck by said seat and turned up and into the positionshown by full lines, in which it will be observed the extreme end of said short arm h bears against the edge of the seat, while the 5 seat itself rests upon the long arm h.

same'time the lever H is prevented from turning'upon its fulcrum h while the seat isopen.

' By reference to Figs. 4 and 5 it will be observed that the outer end of the party of the top brace, F, bears against the'under edge of the lever H outside of its fulcrum h. By this construction, when the chair is being closed,

said brace f operates to assist in turning the lines. 7

It will be understood that each of the legs B is provided at its top with a lever, H.

K designates'a brace consisting of a bar, 7c, extending from one to the other of the legs B,- below the pivot b,- 70, similar bars extending from points k near the bottom of each of: 1

said legs to a common point, 70 on the bar K, to which they are secured.

The bars 7c 70, secured together as shown, form a brace for strengthening the chair and preventing lateral play thereof.

G designates a cord, attached at one end to By thisconstruction the seat is supported, and at thelever H into the position shown by dotted.

In Figs. 11 and 12 we have shown different forms ofbracing, either of which may be used in lieuof the construction shown in the brace 70 K.

The described chair is secured to the belt or Waist of the user in the following manner, Iviz: L designates a loop secured to the tops of the legs B, to which is fastened a cord or strap, L, which is secured to the belt of the wearer. N designates rollers mounted in suitable slots, at, formed in the lower ends of the legs B. In lieu of the rollers casters similar to those used in furniture may be employed,

if preferred.

The operation of our improvement is as follows: The chair in a closed position, as shown 'in Fig. 3, is secured to the waist by straps or cords L, the wearer being in an upright position. When she desires to transfer herweight to the chair, the knees are sprung slightly for gthat purpose, whereby the lower end of thev legsB (being. somewhat longer than the legs; JO) first strike the floor, and by reasonof the 0 rollers N glide backward, thus causing the. 'lower ends of the legs 0 to strike thefloor, land, as said legs are withoutrollers,to remain fiin a fixed position thereon. The legs B conitinue moving backward until the cord. G has 5 drawn the seat D into a horizontal position, the seat in its upwardpassage strikingagainst ,andcausing the supporting-levers H to assume. {the-position shown in Fig. 5, andhereinbefore described. At the same time the braces. F '100 1(which may be made adjustable to accommoidate seats of different widths) open and serve i to determine the distanceto which the legs Eare spread apart.

In closing the chair the operation above de- {scribed is reversed, and is accomplished by the mere act of rising from the chair-i. a, throwing the weight upon the feet by rising/to. ';the full stature.

,abovedescribed chair, representing one form, fjofembodiment of our invention, may be made {without departing from the spirit or sacrifice }ing the advantages thereof. We therefore ;wish to have it understood that we reserve'the, right to makesuch changes and alterationsas fairly fall within the scope of our invention.

E By making the brace F adjustable and the iseat D removable and interchangeable with seats of different widths, the relative width of. 120 the chair with reference to its height may be. increased and diminished.

, In practice the legs and their adjunctsare so proportioned as to adapt one to lie within. the other, in lieu of the position thereof shown;- Qin Fig. 3, which issornewhat objectionable, as. ,it interferes with the freedom of the wearer when walking.

We attach importance to the legsG being,

:shorter than the legs B, as by this construe: :30

ition when the said legs B strike the floor they. move backward upon the supporting-rollers; land cause the legs Oto strike the floor squarely-,.

at which time the chair is fully opened.

Modifications in detail of construction of the. r 10 What we claim, and desire to secure by Let- I 10 described, in combination with a seat-supporting lever H and the legs and seat of the chair, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a combined folding and adjustable chair, a cord arranged and operating substan- 15 tially as described, in combination with the legs, seat, braces, and seat-supporting lever of the chair, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a folding and adjustable chair, legs B, provided with rollers N, pulleys g 9 and le- 20 Vers H, with the legs 0, folding braces F, and

seat D, substantially as described.

5. In a folding and adjustable chair, the combination of legs B, provided with lateral brace K, lever H, rollers N, pulleys g g, and loop L, with legs G,seat D,operating-c0rds G,hinged folding braces F, and straps or cords L, substantially as described.

6. In a combined folding and adjustable chair, the combination of legsB and O, pivoted together, the leg B being of greater length than its fellows and having rollers Nand pulleys g 9 with lever H, seat D, operating-cords G, and braces, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

EFFIE L. PRALL.

ARVILLA WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

ELIZABETH HENDRICKS, 'W. A. BLACK. 

